3 size up facing Garrett

The redrawn congressional map is not a week old, and Democrats are already gearing up to challenge Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage, in a district that became more Bergen County-centric and less conservative.

State Assemblywoman Connie Wagner, D-Paramus, said she is "seriously considering" entering the 5th District race. A Facebook page created this week — Draft Connie Wagner for Congress — had attracted nearly 250 followers by Thursday.

In Passaic County, Freeholder Director Terry Duffy has formed an exploratory committee to "test the waters" and has reached out to party leaders.

State Sen. Bob Gordon, while calling his commitment to stay in Trenton a "moral obligation," did not shut the door entirely on a congressional run.

"In politics, you never say never," said the Fair Lawn Democrat, who emerged victorious from a fierce reelection battle less than two months ago. "But I really feel I need to focus on addressing the state issues here."

Wagner, a two-term Democrat, said she will make a decision in the next few days.

"It will come down to between myself and my family," she said Thursday. "It's a great sacrifice."

With additions of Democratic towns such as Hackensack, the sprawling district, which arcs across the northern part of the state, through Bergen, Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties, is not as solidly Republican as it once was, although Bergen County Democratic Chairman Lou Stellato said that advantage is leveled by Garrett's name recognition after 11 years in the House.

A Garrett challenger also must contend with the conservative's sizable war chest, which stood at $1.5 million in September.

Still, the district is more winnable now than ever, said Paul Aronsohn, a former aide to Gov. James McGreevey. Aronsohn unsuccessfully ran for the seat in 2006.

"Garrett remains one of the most extreme members of Congress who's now completely out of touch with his base," Aronsohn said.

A message left with Garrett's office in Washington, D.C., was not returned.

Garrett was poised to take on liberal Rep. Steve Rothman, D-Fair Lawn, for the district seat until Rothman announced this week that he will move to the 9th Congressional District. There, he would face fellow Democrat Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. of Paterson in a primary.

Democratic Party leaders said they expect to hold a series of meetings in the next two to three weeks to seek a consensus on a candidate to challenge Garrett.

"We don't need a second civil war," said Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie, citing the Rothman-Pascrell face-off.